Waiting
by Starship T.A.R.D.I.S
Summary: After the Battle of Five Armies, Tauriel waits for word from Kili, but none comes. Why is that?
1. Chapter 1

Tauriel was worried. She hadn't heard from Kili in months. They were lovers in Laketown and friends everywhere else. They had been corresponding secretly before the Battle, but now that the battle was past, she had heard nothing. This was worrying to her, since he had promised that he would write to her. It had been five months now, and she had heard nothing. It hurt. She thought that he had loved her. After all, he married her. It was just the two of them in the ceremony. They put marriage braids and beads in each other's hair, and then they were married according to Dwarven tradition. According to Kili, the beads were carved with runes of love and promise. None of the Elves would have recognized it as a legitimate marriage though. Nor would they recognize the child that was to come of it. Yes, Tauriel was pregnant. She had been carefully concealing it for months. She found herbs to quell her nausea in the beginning of the pregnancy, and avoided seeing a healer for fear that they would know. So far, the only truly noticeable sign was her slowly expanding waistline. She rubbed her slightly swollen stomach as she sat on her bed, hoping that Kili would at least write to her, even if he told her in the letter that he did not love her. Anything would be better then this constant unsure worrying, with no word. None of the other Elves knew anything of him. In the few times that she asked, no one knew his fate. After the Battle, the Elves stabilized their wounded, then took them back to Mirkwood in the short span of a day. The gates had been closed since then, with none allowed in or out except for messengers. Still, no news of Kili.

Tauriel couldn't bear to stay in this pit of anguish. She had to get out of the Halls, see her forest and her stars once more, and find Kili. He would not know of the child, but she had to tell him. He had to know of his child. She had to tell someone. She couldn't keep the child a secret for long. She was Captain of the Guard and would have to appoint someone to take over her duties when she could no longer fight, and besides, in a matter of weeks the child would start to show. People would question her, asking who the father of her child was, and she would have to tell them Kili. They would ask if she were married, and she would say yes, but they would ask where her ring was, and she had none. She would be an outcast, the child treated as though it didn't exist. Maybe Thranduil would exile her, demote her, or Valar forbid, kill her! Once people knew, it would not be safe for her. She had to find Kili and get out of Mirkwood, but the gates to the outside were sealed.

Though the gates were sealed, there were some feasts that were conducted outside, and had been so for thousands of years. Thranduil would not break tradition, and the Feast of the Blood Moon would be held outside. It would be at night, which would be ideal for sneaking out of the feast. She could disappear into the woods, and no one would know she had left until the next day,or the day after that, depending on how heavily hung over some of the Elves were. The wine was not diluted at this particular Feast, as the color of the wine was to match the moon, as tradition demanded. As such, the Elves would get drunk much quicker and she could escape and cover more distance. Distance being the distance to Erebor. If Kili would not write to her or contact her, then she would go to him.

It was the night of the feast. Guards had been assigned to ensure the feast was free from any unwelcome intruders, tables had been set, food was prepared and musicians were tuning their instruments. Most other Elves were dressing themselves in finery, and Tauriel was as well, though she was preparing for an entirely different occasion. She put her usual clothes, dark green traveling cloak, her weapons, lembas, Kili's runestone, and her marriage beads into a bag, and took it outside. Putting it under a tree near where the feast would be held, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw it was Legolas. She hadn't told him that she was leaving, or that she was in love with a dwarf, or that she was pregnant with said dwarfs' child.

"What are you doing?" Legolas asked.

"Nothing." Tauriel said nervously. Legolas gave her a suspicious look, but proceeded as normal.

"Can we go over the plan for the Guards tonight? I do not wish to have any unexpected intruders interrupt the feast. My father will not be pleased." Tauriel heard the implied threat. If there were intruders tonight then she would be punished. After Laketown, it would not end well for her.

Night fell, and the blood moon rose. The party had been in full swing for a few hours, with most elves consuming copious amounts of alcohol, meaning Tauriel could now make her escape. She went to the tree where she had left her clothes, slipped behind the tree, and changed. She grabbed her stuff, and left the party. She went in the direction of Erebor. It was a pitch black night, but her keen elf eyes were able to keep her from running into from trees. She didn't run into any spiders, and as such was able to create a sizable distance from her and the Hall. Upon reaching the edge of the forest, she climbed a tree and rested. She would need her strength to confront Kili about not contacting her, and leaving her alone. He had practically been her whole world. She hadn't ever felt love, or passion so much as she had when she was with Kili. None of her Elven suitors made her feel like she had felt with Kili. She wanted to see him, to kiss him and hold him in his arms, but she also wanted to yell at him for not writing to her, and not responding to her letters.

The sun rose. Tauriel woke, and continued on to Erebor. Tauriel made it there in time to get in line to petition the king. It was the first time that she had seen Erebor from the inside. Kili had promised to show her the halls in its entirety and splendor when they were in Laketown. The halls were just like he had said. Grand, with sweeping arches, covered in gold and gems. She waited in line for a few hours, then it was her turn. "Tauriel of the Woodland Realm" the herald said. Quite a few people stared at her as she made her way to the dais.

"Are you here of your own free will, _elf_?" King Dain asked.

"Yes. I come of my own free will and not as an associate of King Thranduil." Tauriel said.

"Very well. Why do you come here?" Dain asked.

"I seek news of Kili, son of Dis, of Durin's line." Tauriel stated.

"Kili is dead. He died a noble death, defending his fallen uncle in the Battle." Dain said. Tauriel stopped hearing Dain after he said Kili was dead. That was the only thing that mattered. He was her whole world. She had been waiting for him to write to her, to come to her, so they could start a new life in Erebor together, raise their child, and be happy. The expression on her face showed what she was thinking. She looked like her world had been destroyed, and it had. She had to leave before her composure broke further, and she let the tears that were swimming in her eyes flow.

"Thank you." Tauriel said, then bowed her head as she left the throne room. She exited the Mountain, and let the tears flow. She couldn't believe he was dead. Only five months ago, he was alive, and with her, and they were happy, but now...none of that.

Kili...dead...now what was she to do? She loved him, and didn't know how she could go on without him. The sun was near setting. Her absence would be noted by now, and she would probably be demoted after this. Her actions had been too rash as of late, but she could not help them, and would pay for them. She couldn't return to the Hall. She couldn't be locked up again, unable to escape to her forest or see the stars.

Lost in grief, she walked to the edge of the forest once more. Again, she climbed a tree and tried to sleep. Sleep did not come to her. She was too worried, too scared. Tauriel was fearless in battle, a whirl of red hair and silver blades, but now she was terrified. She could not return to Mirkwood, nor could she go to Erebor. Laketown was still being rebuilt, and the child would come before she could reach Rivendell, the Shire, or the Blue Mountains. She had no place to go, no friends, and no Kili. She was alone in the world.

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Yup, another Kiliel story. Shocker. I own nothing. Also shocking. Unlike the Kiliel fics I've written, this one is actually long! As in 18 pages long! So get ready for a long ride folks, because here we go again! What do you think? Let me know by favoriting, reviewing, and following! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	2. Chapter 2

Legolas

Tauriel was gone. That was the simple fact of the matter. She had been at the feast the prior night, but she hadn't gone back in when the gates were sealed. If that was true, she wouldn't be able to get back into the Hall. Tauriel was a capable warrior, but even she might perish if she faced a pack of spiders or orcs on her own. They had found a dress today. It had been the same one that Tauriel had worn during the feast. Legolas knew it was hers, he remembered dancing with her. The dress was found near the tree that he had seen her leave a bag. He didn't know what was in it, he had assumed it was something she needed for the party, but now it was gone and she with it.

Thranduil would not organize a search party for her. Legolas's shoulders slumped in defeat as he walked away from his father's throne. He had to find Tauriel. She was Captain of the Guards and his best friend. He was worried about her. Tauriel had seemed sad, worried, and distant over the past few months. She had drawn away from him, kept her business to herself. She usually confided everything in him. They had been grown up together. They were each other's best friends, practically siblings. He had been a lonely princling, and she a lonely orphan. They found each other, made friends, and then weren't lonely any more. They had told each other everything but after the Battle, Tauriel had grown distant. Legolas didn't know why. True, she had lost a lot of soldiers that she had known for hundreds of years and was very close too, but she was acting strange.

It couldn't have been the Battle, that was not the first time she had seen Death on such a large scale. No, there had to be some other reason for it. Legolas paused to think about Tauriel's odd behaviors over the past five months. First, she had talked to that prisoner during Mereth Nuin Giliath and had been reluctant to leave the prisoner, though he was under guard. Second, she had grieved for months after the Battle. That length of time was reserved for loved ones, not soldiers under ones' command. As far as Legolas knew, Tauriel did not lose any loved ones in the Battle, it would be impossible too, her family was dead and relations amongst members of the Guard were forbidden, much to his dismay. Third, Tauriel had sometimes been throwing up in the mornings about two months after the Battle, but she refused to see a healer, and said that it was nothing. Legolas didn't know why she was acting so weird, it was very unlike her. If Tauriel was not in her right mind, alone in the forest, she might die. Legolas was very worried indeed.

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New chapter! This is the last we'll see of Legolas for a while, he shows up again towards the end of the fic. Updates will be coming more or less (probably less) daily as school gets more intense. Remember to read, review and follow! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	3. Chapter 3

The sun rose, ending a sleepless, worry filled night. By the end of it, Tauriel had something that resembled a plan. She remembered a village, about a month's journey from here. It was near the spot where her village had been, nearly a thousand years ago. It was near the border, and had been one of the first to be destroyed when the Darkness overcame Greenwood. After the Battle, there were significantly less orcs, so the village should be safe, though it was one of the furthest settlements from the Great Hall. She just didn't know if anyone would recognize her. Some of the survivors after her village was destroyed built this new village, but she, being made orphaned by the attack, had to stay in the Hall. It had been hundreds of years since then, and she was only twenty years old at the time, but still. There were always possibilities.

She would go to the village. It was far from the Hall, and anyone who would be searching for her. Assuming she could get there without getting caught. She would have to pass near the Hall to get to the village. If she were caught, she would be charged with deserting the Guard, not to mention being in love with a Dwarf. Thranduil would not be pleased, and he would punish her. Tauriel didn't know how she would be punished, but it would not be good for either her or the child. That is not to mention the disregard of her peers who would view her as a social outcast for having a child from what they would not see as a legitimate marriage. It would not be hard to skirt the outer edge of the forest, she knew the patrol routes and times.

Timing was everything. If she was caught, it could mean her life. Usually patrols were scheduled on a two week basis but after the Battle, patrols had been upped to once a week to ensure that straggling orcs would not threaten the people. If they had kept the same schedule that she had established, her soldiers, no, no longer her soldiers, would not be near here, but one could never be too careful. Tauriel kept her eyes and ears open, and took caution to not leave a trail by climbing from tree to tree. It took a few weeks and was slow going, but she eventually made it to the village, Gwain. Gwain meant new, for it was a new place for the homeless villagers to create a new home for themselves.

Tauriel descended from the trees and stood by the base of one of them. She picked the leaves and twigs from out of her long hair, and wiped the dirt of of herself as best she could. She was brushing off her stomach, which was now a sizable bump, when she felt a movement under her skin. It was the child. He or she was moving around inside of her stomach. Tauriel gasped. She put her other hand on her stomach as well, and wished that Kili's hands could touch hers once more. She wished that he could be there with her, be there for her and the child, so that she would not be adrift in an ocean of unknowns. Still, the forest was not safe, and Tauriel had to jerk herself out of her sadness. She heard a twig break, and whirled around, drawing her blades, ready to defend herself if need be. There was another elf, his tunic indicating that he was a member of the village Guard, protecting his home against intruders. Tauriel almost wished that she could go back to those times, but that would mean giving up Kili and the child, and she would not do that for the world.

"Who are you?" the elf said, his eyes taking in her uniform, weapons, hair, and pregnant stomach.

"I am Tauriel." Tauriel stated simply. She would not, could not, say where she was from. If she told the soldier the name of her native village, people would begin to wonder about a red haired elf child from there. It was bad enough that she had her hair and her name to identify her as the orphaned child from so long ago.

"I am Gildor. Why are you in this part of the forest, especially in your...condition?"

"The wanderlust." Tauriel said. Wanderlust was a common feeling among elves, especially when someone important to them had died. One gets tired of the same place after living there for a many years. Tauriel hoped this would be a plausible excuse.

"Very well. There are no other settlements near here, am I correct in presuming that you intend to settle here?" Gildor said.

"Yes, I do." Tauriel said.

"Very well. Follow me, I will take you to the village." Gildor said.

The village was simple, but it was a place to rest. It was a hallmark of civilization and peace in a tangle of woods that the Darkness had long since penetrated. The houses were mainly wood, a vast change from the cavernous underground Hall of Thranduil. It was different from where she had been living for most of her life, but it was a good different. It reminded her of the times when she was little and still had her parents.

The village was bustling with life. There were human traders carrying goods to Laketown, Elves going about their business, and still other travelers and traders going to and from distant lands. Gwain was changed from how Tauriel remembered it. It was no longer an isolated woodland village. It had become a trade center, carrying goods to and from Laketown. Tauriel was glad for that. The more people who were in Gwain and the busier it was, the easier it was for Tauriel to hide, although she stood out in more ways then one.

"I will take you to Merewen, the leader of our village." Gildor announced suddenly.

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New chapter! We'll see how accepting Merewen is of Tauriel when she shows up next chapter! Remember to review, follow, and favorite! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	4. Chapter 4

"I will take you to Merewen, the leader of our village." Gildor announced suddenly.

"All right." Tauriel said, having no choice in the matter. It turned out that Merewen was a female elf, with long black hair that was braided back into a single braid that fell to her waist. She was wearing a long dress that fell to the floor.

"I am Merewen, and you are...?" Merewen said.

"I am Tauriel." Tauriel said.

"Why are you here? It appears that you have traveled alone, and you are carrying a child." Merewen asked.

"The wanderlust. My husband died in the Battle, and I felt the need to move from our home. It held too many memories for me. As for traveling alone, I have no children other the this one, and none of my friends wanted to travel. I am more then capable of defending myself against the beasts of the forest. I was Captain of the Guard where I used to live." Tauriel explained.

"I see. Do you know you will live?" Merewen asked.

"No, I do not. I simply came, unsure of what was going to happen. I thought that I could work as a member of the Guard here, after the child comes. I have almost always worked in the Guard." Tauriel said.

"There is a house near the edge of the village. It was one of the first ones built here, and has fallen into disrepair, but the builders have ensured me that the structure is still stable. I would let you have it, if you restored it to a habitable state. It is becoming an eyesore, and would otherwise have to be torn down." Merewen said.

"Thank you my lady. That is most kind of you." Tauriel said. She could not believe that she was essentially given a house, and all she had to do was repair it! Tauriel was good with her hands, and enjoyed making things, so restoring the house would prove to be a hard but interesting challenge.

"You are very welcome. It will be a joy to have you, and the child, here. It has been many years since there have been anyone new here." Merewen said.

"Thank you." Tauriel said, bowing her head. She was glad that her and the child would be welcomed and safe here. She only wished Kili was here as well.

"I will show you the house." Gildor said.

"Thank you." Tauriel said.

Merewen had not been lying when she said that the house had fallen into disrepair. Most of the wood on the porch had rotted away, but the roof was sturdy, and though the floor was creaky in some spots and there were overgrown vines overtaking the outer walls of the house, which were in sore need of a new coat of paint, overall, it was in good condition. It was dusty inside, but dry, and some furniture still remained in good condition. There were five rooms in the house. Two were bedrooms, one was a bathroom, one a living space, and the last a kitchen, all of which had some furniture still in it that seemed to be in good condition. Tauriel was apprehensive about the kitchen. She did not often have need to cook, and as such was highly inexperienced, to say the least. She was capable of roasting meat, a skill learned from many a campfire dinner, but anything more then that, well, it was safer to say that she had managed to burn salad. In her defense, however, she had left it near a lit stove and the fire had reached out and burnt it. After that experience, Tauriel was not permitted in the kitchens. She was better at working with tools and weapons then food. Tauriel decided that she would start by returning to the market with Gildor, who had offered to show her the way back to the marketplace after she had walked around the house for a few minutes. The two of them chatted as they walked back, Tauriel carefully avoiding any discussion of her journey or where she was from. They parted ways at the marketplace, and Tauriel went in search of a few things she needed.

A blanket and pillow were a must, if not a mattress, Tauriel decided without a moment's hesitation. She had to have _something_ soft to sleep on, her aching back was practically demanding it. Tauriel was also in dire need of a dusting cloth, flint, cooking utensils (she supposed she would have to eventually learn), a broom, and some form of food other then lembas. After eating nothing then lembas for each meal each day for a month, she had grown rather tired of it. Tauriel carried her purchases back to her house, then decided that she would go back to the marketplace to see if she could arrange for some wood, nails and a hammer to be brought to her house the next day so she could start work on the porch. After walking to the marketplace yet again, she conversed with the local lumberjack and blacksmith. Tauriel could almost picture Kili working in the forges here, oh, how she wished he were here! Though she had a home now, she would have to work at some point, her gold would not last forever. And when she went to work, who would watch the child? Assuming that she worked as a member of the Guard, she would be gone all day, and could not take the child with her. Tauriel tried not to worry, but she could not help it.

Tauriel yawned as she approached her house once more. The conversations with the blacksmith and lumberjack had gone longer then she had expected, and evening was drawing to a close. Tauriel decided to forgo the cleaning that she has planned and just sleep, in a real bed for the first time in over a month. Trees were comfortable for only a short time, as she had found out on her way to Gwain.

When the morning came, Tauriel found that she had slept better then she had in months. She finally wasn't worried about whether or not Kili loved her, and why he had not written back to her. True, she was greatly saddened once she learned that he was dead, but it was better then wondering if he only sought a physical relationship, and did not love her as she loved him. She no longer had to worry about Thranduil imprisoning or killing her for falling in love with a dwarf. She did not have to face the disrespect and scorn that she would face from her friends in Mirkwood if they found out that she was pregnant with the child of a a dwarf. She had a home, hopefully some friends, and a safe place for the child.

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Hi! I'm not going to be able to update for a few days, so here, have a new chapter! I'd rather not be a rather rude author who at first updates daily, then leaves you with a cliffhanger for a while. Unfortunately, this might end up happening, as I have finals in a few weeks and will be rather busy until then. Hopefully I'll still have time to post! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	5. Chapter 5

By midmorning, Tauriel had found that the promised wood, nails, and hammer had been delivered to her house. Tauriel brought the smaller things inside, and started work on cleaning the house. She dusted the shelves, countertops, table, chair, and bedframe and put away the things that she had bought earlier. Next, she swept the floor, and got all of the dried leaves and spiderwebs out of the house. When she finished, she was leaning on her broom on the porch, wondering what she should do next, when she saw a figure walking up the path to her house. Tauriel was curious. The house was a ten minute walk from the main part of Gwain, and as far as she knew, there weren't many others that lived far away as she did. There were always possibilities though. Tauriel had only been living here for a day, and was unfamiliar with her neighbors. The figure came closer, and Tauriel saw that it was a human women. Interesting. Tauriel thought that this was a mostly Elven town, or at least mostly Elves had settled there. Perhaps the elderly women was the wife of a trader who had settled here.

"Hello, I'm Myla! You're new around here, aren't you." the women said, now reaching the house.

"I'm Tauriel, and yes, I am new around here, I only just arrived yesterday." Tauriel said.

"That's nice, nobody's lived here in a while, at least, not while I've lived here." Myla said.

"Yes, Merewen told me, I only came yesterday." Tauriel said.

"Huh. So you came here on your own, and you're pregnant?!" Myla said, with some amount of surprise and disbelief in her voice.

"Yes. My husband died in the Battle, and I couldn't stand to live in our home anymore, it held too many painful memories, so I came here. Yes, I am pregnant." Tauriel said.

"Sorry that he died, there's not a lot of good folk around here. How'd you get here, traveling alone and all?" Myra asked.

"I traveled alone, the beasts of the forest do not scare me. I was Captain of the Guard where I used to live." Tauriel said.

"Huh. I've never seen a lady fight before. I take it you're going to repair the house?" Myla asked.

"Yes, I'm good with my hands, I'm going to start with the porch first, it's mostly the outside that is in bad shape. The inside is in pretty good shape, there's even some furniture still in there from who knows how long ago. I've trained with the Guard my whole life." Tauriel said.

"Huh. So you can fight and the like?" Myla asked.

"Yes, I can. In terms of cooking and things like that, I'm clueless." Tauriel admitted, blushing slightly at revealing her inability to cook.

"I could help you with that if you'd like. It would hard to raise a child without knowing how to cook." Myla offered.

"That would be wonderful! Thank you so much! When I was an elfling, I managed to burn salad, and I hadn't been allowed in the kitchen since." Tauriel said. Myla laughed.

"Aye, I'd say you need some help. I can teach you some basic stuff you, if you'd like." Myla offered.

"That would be amazing, thank you so much!" Tauriel exclaimed. Tauriel led the way into the house, and showed Myla what she had bought yesterday.

"I'm not entirely sure how to use any of these, but I thought I might use them somehow..." Tauriel said, her voice trailing off. Myla looked around at the assorted kitchen tools before her.

"Right, let's start with something simple, like bread." Myla said. Tauriel's expression said that baking bread not be so easy.

"Do you have any flour?" Myla asked.

"No, I don't think so. Yesterday I just got the bare minimum of what I thought I would need, nothing more, I was rather unsure of what I would need, and didn't want to spend gold on useless things."

"Well, it looks like we're going to need to go to the market again." Myla said

As the two women walked to the market, they chatted about random things, from babies (of which Tauriel had little knowledge of) to weapons and handiwork (which Tauriel did know about). Myla turned out to be a trader's wife. Said trader had gone on a journey and never returned. He was presumed dead, and Myla settled in Gwain "just in case he comes back." Myla had a few children, but they had grown up and moved away. One of her daughters still lived in Gwain, but was married to a man that Myla didn't approve of, so they didn't talk much. Myla's son had become a trader like his father, and occasionally passed through Gwain, but Myla didn't see him much. She lived alone, in a house that was a 10 minute walk from Tauriel's house. According to Myla, Tauriel was the newest item of gossip in town. Ever since the she elf had arrived in town the previous day, she had incited rumors as to who she was, why she was here, and where the child's father was. It would not be the first time that Tauriel was the target of gossip and rumors. When she had first come to Thranduil's Hall, the other elflings didn't understand that her parents were dead, instead they thought that her parents had abandoned her. Understandably, this had hurt Tauriel, but as her tormentors grew older, they slowly realized what they were saying and stopped.

When the two women reached the market, Myla showed Tauriel where to get the wheat and other things that they would need and Tauriel bought them, then they walked back to Tauriel's house. Myra showed Tauriel how to make bread. While it was baking, Myla asked Tauriel when she was expecting the child. Tauriel told her that she was about six months along, and the child would be born around mid November, as Elves carried for a year. Myla was surprised by that, but asked no further questions, as she had accepted Tauriel's explanation as to the parentage of the child. When the bread was done, it turned out to be edible. It was a minor victory in Tauriel's cooking ignorance, but a victory nonetheless. By that time, it was late afternoon, and Myla left to go back to her house. Tauriel went out into the woods with her bow in search of some prey. After a few hours, Tauriel ended up with two wild rabbits. She skinned them and prepared the meat before she went inside. Tauriel set the meat on her counter and lit a fire. She roasted the meat and ate it, along with the bread, for supper.

The next four months passed in the same monotony. Tauriel would do some work on the house in the mornings, then Myla would come and show her how to cook something, Tauriel would go and hunt, then eat whatever she and Myla had prepared along with the meat. It was a good sort of life, but Tauriel often missed Kili. Now that she rarely saw Elves, who would know the significance of such things, she wore her marriage beads and braids often, and thought of Kili whenever she put them in. Tauriel wished Kili would be with her. It was hard to be so alone.

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New chapter! Tauriel has a friend. Next chapter, we met Tauriel and Kili's baby! Remember to follow, favorite, and review! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	6. Chapter 6

By September, Tauriel was accomplished cook, and the house was in good shape once more. Now that the winter months were approaching, Tauriel had turned from cooking to an entirely different discipline altogether, sewing. Her expanding stomach had demanded another set of clothes that would accommodate the growing child. Tauriel knew how to sew, she had learned to stitch up wounds, but the problem was that this rough sewing was nowhere near what she would need to sew a dress, so Myla had once again offered a helping hand. When Tauriel offered to give her something in return, Myla refused, saying "No, no, I'm an old women, doing this fills up my time." Under Myla's instruction, Taruiel managed to sew a dress in a few weeks.

Now that the baby was due in less then a month, Tauriel was having a hard time doing many things, and it was easier for her to sit rather then stand, so Myla had shown her how to knit. Tauriel was a quick learner, and was working on a blanket for the child. The blanket was made of wool that was dyed green. The color reminded her of working in the forest with the Guard, of adventures with Legolas when they were elflings, of the first time when she had met Kili. In the Mirkwood forest, she had had adventures, romance, and battles. It was almost like a fantasy story. Of course, her life had never been all that interesting, no one would ever think to write a book about her world. The blanket was half finished and long enough to partially cover her stomach when she was sitting. Myla assured her that it would be ready when the child came.

It was the first day of November when the first snow fell. It was an early winter this year, but Tauriel did not mind that. When she had been more able to do outdoor work, she had chopped enough wood to last the winter, and kept it in a shed that she had built with the leftover wood from rebuilding the porch. Tauriel was apprehensive about the birth. This was her first child, and her last now that Kili was dead. It still pained her to say that. Dead. Elves live for thousands of years, and death did not come often to them. Tauriel knew the birth would be painful. It would not be a pleasant experience, though the making of the child was. Tauriel didn't know if she wanted to have a boy or a girl. A girl would be nice, but Tauriel feared that she would not raise her properly and not teach her what she needed to know to run a household, and instead raise her to be a soldier, as Tauriel was taught. A boy would be easier to raise in Tauriel's opinion, but she would probably end up raising them the same way. In a way, it didn't particularly matter, but Tauriel was eager to find out. She had sewn some basic clothes for it, just leggings, a tunic and a nightgown, but she wanted to know the gender. She could barely stand to wait the two weeks and an odd number of days that it would be until she would find out.

The morning of November 17, the pains started. Tauriel was in the middle of eating breakfast when she felt the first one. They were unlike any other pain she had felt. The pains didn't hurt too bad at first, but after a few hours, she felt like she should lay down.

"Tauriel?" Myla called, after knocking on the front door a few times. Myla had taken to visiting Tauriel for a few hours each day. It kept both of them from getting too lonely. "Tauriel?" Myla received no response. Opening the door, she looked around the house. Tauriel couldn't have gone anywhere, she was going to give birth any day now. Give birth...perhaps that was why Myla hadn't gotten a response. She rushed to the bedroom, to find Tauriel laying on the bed on her side nearly crying from the intensity of the pain.

"Oh, honey!" Myla exclaimed. "How long have they been coming?" she asked.

"Six hours or so." Tauriel said with a groan as one passed.

"Do you mind if I help you?" Myla asked. She knew that Elves were generally a very private people, but she had to ask Tauriel. Simply seeing the she elf in so much pain hurt her, Myla had come to see Tauriel as a daughter.

"Please." Tauriel whimpered. It hurt, so bad, that she wanted anything but that. She had prepared herself for pain, but this was nothing like she had thought it would be. She had never felt pain this bad, though she was a soldier, and used to it by now. Myla was here though, and that alone was comforting to her. Myla was almost like a second mother to Tauriel now. Myla guided Tauriel through the next few pain filled hours. The ending pains were the worst, and she could no longer hold back her cries. By the end of it, Tauriel was exhausted, but she had a son.

"He's beautiful." Myla said as she cleaned him off, wrapped him in the blanket Tauriel had made and placed him in his mother's arms. Tauriel looked down at the baby, and he looked up at her. Tauriel saw that he had her red hair, but eyes as deep and dark as Kili's. His ears were slightly pointed at the tips, but he was large for an Elf child. Tauriel decided that he must have gotten that from Kili.

"Yes, he is." Tauriel said, smiling down at her son.

"What are you going to name him?" Myla asked.

"I was thinking Revion. It means to wander. After all, we've traveled a great distance together." Tauriel said, smiling down at the newborn.

"That's lovely. It suits him, I think." Myla said. Myla ended up staying for Tauriel for a few days and showed her how to care for the baby. Myla had talked about how one cares for a baby, but there was nothing quite like actually doing it. Myla left after she was sure that Tauriel could take care of Revion properly.

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World, meet baby Revion! A huge thank you and sourout to everyone who has followed, reviewed, and favorited this story so far! That includes: ACreativeHobbit, AmyGoddess, FirstLovexx, ImperatrixTempore, Lady Blackwolf, SineNominae, salishan1220 ARTs Ninja Pal, Borys68, Sb.012, sassygirl9811, and idrylla. We'll be seeing more of baby Revion next chapter. Also in the next chapter, the village isn't as safe as it seems. Remember to follow, favorite, and review! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	7. Chapter 7

Two months passed. Revion was a chubby, happy two month old who was much larger then an Elven child would be at his age, but was like an Elf in terms of mental development. Much to Tauriel's dismay (and pain) he had learned how to pull hair, prompting Tauriel to put her knee length locks into a single braid down her back. He hadn't quite gotten used to sleeping through the night, so Tauriel was not surprised when she woke up to hear Revion crying in the middle of the night. Sighing, she went to his crib, which she kept near her, and looked to see what was wrong. His blanket. Of course. Revion was a restless sleeper, and moved around a lot in his sleep, sometimes causing him to lose his blanket. Tauriel never tired of watching him wriggle around while he was napping, but during the night, it was something else altogether. She reached down and picked up Revion, then his blanket, and wrapped him in it again. Holding him in her arms for a few minutes while he quieted down, she wished Kili was with her. Tauriel wished that he were here, she missed him so much. It was like a part of her was missing, even though they had only been together for a week. She wished he could hold her again, and see his child.

The horn sounded with the sunrise. It was the signal of an attack, something threatening the village. Tauriel grabbed Revion**, **wrapped him his blanket, and quickly put on her weapons, then held Revion close as she ran to the town center. The Guard was assembled. Her keen Elven ears heard that they were talking of a group of Orcs that was coming near the village. Though a trading center, Gwain had very few defenses other then a log wall. It would not protect much against Orc invaders. Tauriel was torn. Should she stay inside of the wall with Revion or should she go and protect the village? She did not want to leave Revion, especially with a stranger, as she had not been in town much after her first few weeks in Gawin. On the other hand, she knew all too well the difference that one more warrior could make. She had to fight. As much as she wanted to stay with Revion, she knew that it was her duty to fight. She had sworn an oath upon joining the Guard, to protect the citizens of Mirkwood, wherever she might be. Tauriel realized she had no choice. She had to fight.

Tauriel saw Myla come running through the gates just as they closed. The Guard was going to make sure that the citizens inside of the wall knew what to do and where to hide in case the Orcs got through the wall before they left to fight.

"Myla!" Taruiel cried and ran over to the other women.

"Myla, I need you to do something for me." Tauriel said.

"What is it?" Myla asked.

"Take care of him." Tauriel said, them put Revion into Myla's arms. He protested loudly against leaving his mother, and his cries hurt Tauriel. She didn't want to leave him, but she was fighting because she didn't want him to die.

"Tauriel!" Myla exclaimed. "You can't just leave him, what are you doing?"

"I have to fight." Tauriel explained. "One warrior could make the difference between victory and defeat, and that means the lives of everyone in the village."

"Tauriel!" Myla exclaimed, grabbing the other womens' arm. "You can't!" Tauriel kissed Revion on the top of his head, then looked at Myla in the eyes and told her, "I have to" then went to where the town hall, where the Guard were gathered.

Inside of the town hall, it was complete chaos. The members of the Guard were telling younger boys who wanted to fight to stay inside of the wall and leave them alone. Said boys were protesting against this, loudly. Tauriel was heartsick, and had had enough. She had just given her baby to a friend, and was going to fight, and maybe even die, to keep him safe, and these disorganized fighters who called themselves a Guard didn't even know how many Orcs they were facing. Tauriel was growing more frustrated by the second. She unsheathed a blade, then threw it across the wall. That got people's attention.

"Who are you?!" a human male stepped forward and questioned her. "You could have killed us!"

"If I had intended to kill any one of you, you would be dead by now. Which one of you is in charge here?" Tauriel asked, her expression perfectly calm despite her inner fear for her child.

"I am." An elf stepped forward. He and the other elves gathered there seemed to be the only ones prepared for battle.

"I am Tauriel. I was Thranduil's Captain of the Forest Guard. How may I assist you?" Tauriel asked.

"You are a Captain under Thranduil?" the elf asked.

"Was." Tauriel corrected. "Will you permit me to fight with you?"

"Yes. I am Turgur, by the way." Turgur said.

"Good to meet you Turgur." Tauriel said. Speaking in Sindarin, she said "_We need to get the humans out of here. They will only hurt themselves in battle._"

Turgur replied in the same language, saying "_I agree. Shall you tell them or will I?_"

"_I will._" Tauriel said, speaking once more in Sindarin.

"Anyone who is not a warrior must leave. Now!" She said. The majority of the humans grumbled among themselves and did not make to leave, until they were all on the receiving end of a glare from Turgur. Then they quickly fled the building.

"Now that that's taken care of, how many Orcs are we facing?" Tauriel asked.

"Unknown. Thirty to forty, by some estimates, and fifty by others." Tugur said.

"Let's assume the worst. If there are fifty, we will be outnumbered two to one. I'd say we can all kill two Orcs." Tauriel said. A cheer erupted from the assembled Guard. Most of them had never seen true battle before, having avoided the Battle due to their distance from the Mountain. Those who had not seen battle were nervous, Tauriel could tell from how some paced the room, others fidgeted, and some bit their lip. Turgur revealed that each citizen was given an assigned place to go in the event of a raid, and should have already gotten there by now. Tauriel walked across the room and retrieved her dagger from the wall. The majority of the soldiers were young, so Tauriel and Turgur decided that they should stick with a standard attack plan of staying in the trees and taking out the enemy with arrows then attacking with blades.

The soldiers marched out of the gate. Tauriel saw Myla looking out of a window, still holding Revion. Myla looked at Tauriel with a question in her eyes: are you still sure? Tauriel looked Myla in the eye and nodded. She had to fight.

The soldiers climbed trees, two to a tree and one group of three. After half an hour, it was easy to both see and hear something moving through the underbrush. That something being a group of orcs. Fifty, as they had feared. The elves readied their bows, and waited until Turgur gave the command to fire. He signaled to the assembled Elves, and a rain of arrows hit the orcs. Tauriel scrambled down from her tree, drew her blades, and engaged an orc in combat. She swung with her right blade, it blocked her blade with its' sword. She stabbed him in the side with her left blade. He made a guttering sound as he fell limp and she removed his body from her blade. Tauriel whipped around and fired an arrow at an orc that had it's sword at Turgur's throat, then turned to engage an orc behind her. This orc appeared to be the leader of the pack. It was the ugliest thing that Tauriel had seen in quite a few centuries. The orc swung first. Tauriel managed to block the sword, but it still cut her arm slightly. Tauriel returned the hit, with interest, causing the orc to muffle a cry of pain, though it would have blended in with the sounds of battle around them. The cut that she gave it simple enraged it, and it came at her with renewed fervor. Tauriel swung with both of her blades at once, and the orc fell to her blades.

Tauriel looked around. Some of the orcs that she had not seen had set fire to the village. Revion was in there. Myla was in there. Tauriel shouted to Turgur, "The village!" He turned looked at the village, then at Tauriel. His eyes were wide with fear. He too hadn't seen the flames. The remaining orcs were dead, and the sounds of battle stilled. The only thing that could be heard was the crackling of flames and screaming villagers under the noon sun. The villagers had gotten outside of the wall once the fire started, but were faced with fire setting orcs. Tauriel ran to where the villagers were gathered and started to fight the remaining orcs. Turgur and some other guards joined her, and they made short work of the orcs. Tauriel wanted to see if Revion and Myla were all right, but her skill as a healer was needed to treat the wounded and she was pulled in many different directions to treat the wounded.

It was evening. Tauriel was exhausted. The adrenaline from the battle had faded as she spent the afternoon treating the wounded. She had not seen Myla or Revion among the wounded, but the dead had not been counted or identified, and she had not yet had a break to go and find them. Tauriel went to the house where she had seen Myla and Revion. The house was completely incinerated. Tauriel saw something green among the ashes and picked it up. It was a piece of charred knitting, the same green that Revion's blanket had been. Tauriel's breath hitched in her throat, and her eyes began to form tears. It couldn't be, no, no! She had fought for them, she had left them so that she could defend them. They couldn't be dead, not after Kili. She couldn't lose them too.

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Here, have a cliffhanger! It'll be the first of many coming up, but I'll still try to update daily and not disappear. Remember to review, follow, and favorite! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	8. Chapter 8

They couldn't be dead, not after Kili. She couldn't lose them too. Just as she was about to start sobbing, she heard a cry behind her. It was Myla, and Revion**.** Both were soot covered, but alive.

"By that Valar!" Tauriel cried.

"You're alive!" Myla said joyfully.

"Yes, yes, I am, and how are you two?" Tauriel asked, eying their soot-covered clothing.

"We're all right. We were in one of the first houses that caught fire, it was terrifying! Smoke and flames and the like! I thought we were done for when the blanket caught fire, but I got us outside of the house in time and he got a through dousing in the well. It turned out that only a part of the blanket caught fire, and it dropped off, but better safe then sorry." Myla explained, giving Revion back to his mother, who held him as tight as she could. Tauriel never wanted to leave Revion alone again.

"I'm so glad you're all right!" Tauriel said. "I fought in the battle. There were about 50 orcs, but 25 soldiers. I managed to kill 3 or 4 of them. We fell most of them with arrows from the trees, but about half engaged us in single combat."

"I'm glad you're safe too." Myla said with a smile, before she noticed a cut on Tauriel's right arm. The blood had soaked through her uniform tunic and made quite the stain.

"What's that?" she asked.

"I must have gotten cut. I'll take care of it later. I think Revion needs fed." Tauriel said.

"Are you sure it can wait? It looks pretty bad." Myla said.

"It's waited this long, it can wait a few more minutes." Tauriel said. She walked to a nearby tree, sat down, and fed Revion. A tiny burp emerged from his mouth and he smiled up at his mother, who smiled back at him in return. Tauriel heard someone approach. It was Turgur.

"Hello." he said.

"Hello." Tauriel said.

"I'm not entirely sure how to say this, but I wanted to say thank you for saving my life in the battle." Turgur said. Tauriel was confused for a moment, then remembered shooting an arrow at an orc who had Turgur up against a tree with an orc blade against his throat.

"It was no problem, I would have done it for any comrade." Tauriel said.

"You're hurt." Turgur said.

"I'll be fine, it's waited this long." Tauriel protested.

"You need to see a healer." Turgur said. "You don't want it to get infected."

"All right." Tauriel said.

"Who's the little one?" Turgur asked, leaning over to get a better view of Revion.

"This is Revion, my son. Be careful, he—" Tauriel said, stopping her warning when Revion reached out and pulled Turgur's hair. "Pulls hair." Tauriel said apologetically, as Revion giggled. "Sorry about that."

"He certainly does! He's a strong one!" Turgur said. Tauriel laughed.

"Yes, I found that out the hard way." Tauriel said. They approached the tents set up for the wounded.

"Will you assist me tomorrow? I imagine it will be quite the task to get everyone to Thranduil's Hall." Turgur said.

"Why Thranduil's Hall? I'm just curious, surely there are other settlements that are closer." Tauriel said. She hoped she appeared calm on the outside, on the inside she was terrified. Legolas would know that she appeared to not be pregnant when she left, and would question her. That was not to mention the punishment that she might get from Thranduil. Imprisonment, death, exile. There were too many options once he found out that she had Kili's child.

"I'm not sure any of the settlements near here would be able to support so many new people. It's the middle of winter, and food supplies might run short." Turgur explained.

"I see. Will we camp here tonight, then start traveling tomorrow?" Tauriel asked.

"Yes, that is the current plan. If we can get everyone to walk fast, we might be able to make it in about two weeks." Turgur said.

"I would be honored to assist you." Tauriel said.

"Excellent. At dusk, myself and several others are having a meeting near the remains of the town hall to discuss our current plan." Turgur said.

"I'll see you there." Tauriel said. She entered the healer's tent.

"Tauriel! Are you here to work some more?" an eager healer asked. The human women had been on duty since the battle and was desperate for a break.

"No, I can't. I was hoping you could bandage a cut, then I have to go to a meeting." Tauriel explained.

"Oh. Well, come over here." the healer said. Tauriel obeyed, and took off her tunic to reveal a rather bloody wound on her arm and her underclothes. Revion looked around sleepily, then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Tauriel smiled. It had been a long day for both him and her.

"Right, that's it. Come back in a few days and you should be all good." the healer said as she finished wrapping the wound. Tauriel awkwardly put her tunic back on while juggling a sleeping Revion.

It was dusk. The meeting had commenced. Turgur, Tauriel and a few assorted Elves and Humans had gathered to discuss what they were going to do next. Tauriel had brought Revion to the meeting, but he was sound asleep in her arms.

"We obviously cannot stay here." Turgur said to start the meeting. "We have essentially nothing."

"What do you mean, nothing! We have bandages, and food, and tents." a human man protested.

"We have little bandages after treating the wounded, the food will be gone tomorrow even if we ration it, and tents for only a few." Tauriel countered.

"Exactly. We will be traveling to Thranduil's Hall, and seek refuge there as we cannot stay here." Turgur said. "We need to get everyone ready to move in the morning. We might be able to make it in two weeks if we hurry. And we must hurry. The snows will not melt for months, and we will freeze if we stay here." Tauriel knew that was not quite true. Elves could take more cold then men, and it would be the men, not the elves, that would die.

"I agree." Tauriel said.

"I want each of you to head a sort of division. Tauriel will lead the warriors, Earnest will manage the food, Merewen will lead the healers, and Agnor will be in charge of fire and shelter. Each of you will report to me." Merewen was the former leader. She almost protested that Turgur was going to lead them, but realized that his military knowledge might be the thing that would keep them alive. Earnest was a human man who was an excellent cook, and used to work at the tavern, before it was destroyed in the fire. Agnor was an Elf who was extremely good at setting fires, even to wet wood. He had gone on many a rainy patrol with Turgur in the past.

"That sounds like a plan to me." Merewen said.

"Excellent. We will leave at dawn. I suggest you get some sleep while you can." Turgur said, concluding the meeting. Tauriel walked with Revion in her arms to a nearby tree, sat down at the base, and fell into an exhausted sleep.

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They're alive! Happy now? Don't worry, there'll be a lot more cliffhangers coming up. Hehehehehehe... Anyway, it'll be a bit before the cliffies show up, but when they do, it will be intense. Remember to review, follow, and favorite! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	9. Chapter 9

Dawn came. Tauriel blinked slowly as she woke up. Revion had moved onto her lap during the night. Revion had slept the entire night, but Tauriel attributed that to a long day for the two month old. She did not expect it to be the same the next night. She fed and changed Revion then went to find the guards. Five had been injured in the fight, but not too badly. One had been killed, and was buried the previous afternoon after the battle. In total, there were twenty soldiers that could still fight. Tauriel knew that the spiders, which posed the greatest danger, would be in hibernation, so the only real danger would be the orcs. However, the closer that they got to the Hall, the less danger there would be from orcs. But Tauriel would be in more danger. If anyone in the Hall recognized her, she would be taken to Thranduil. Revion might be taken from her, even killed for being half Dwarf. She might be killed, for being in love with a Dwarf. It would be too dangerous to run away into the snow, and besides, she couldn't abandon these people. They might die from the cold, or orcs, or any number of hidden dangers. She had to think about them, not herself and Revion.

A long line of ragged people wandered through the snowy forest. The survivors from the orc attack trudged through the snow, covering a lengthy distance each day. Turgur was optimistic about reaching the Hall in two weeks, but the people did not share his beliefs. They were hungry, cold, and tired. There was not much food to begin with after the attack, and less to be gathered outside because it was winter. The fires that Agnor made never seemed to burn warm enough to get the ice out of the humans' bones, but the Elves were perfectly fine, as they withstood cold better then Men. Everyone was grumpy, particularly when they were a week through their journey. Tauriel had snagged a spot near Myla, and they switched off carrying Revion but both of their arms were getting tired. Tauriel still tried to carry Revion as much as she could, for Myla was having a hard time walking through the knee deep snow, while Tauriel had a natural ability to walk over snow. The humans tired quickly, and needed to rest several times a day, while the Elves were barely winded. The closer Tauriel got to the Hall, the more apprehensive she became. It was quite obvious that she was not a human, and she would be easily recognizable to anyone who knew her. Also, who knew what decrees Thranduil had made in her absence. She could be exiled from Mirkwood and not even know it! Tauriel didn't know what to expect when she got back to the Hall. If the gates were still sealed, they would die only moments from safety.

They had reached the Hall. Tauriel was terrified, but everyone else was excited. The gates were no longer sealed, and they were welcomed into the hall. Tauriel was surprised to see several dwarves inside of the Hall, and recognized what Kili said was his family crest, but did not approach them. Tauriel clutched Revion**,** who had fallen asleep, close and covered him with his blanket as they were led to a set of rooms that would house them until permanent action could be taken by King Thranduil. Said king was extremely busy due to an unexpected arrival of a caravan of dwarves, and had directed his son, Legolas, to see to the needs of the now homeless villagers. Legolas had shown each of them to a room, keeping families and friends that were now like family together. He reached the end of the line, only to find someone very familiar to him. A red haired someone called Tauriel.

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Hi! Shorter chapter then usual, but in the next one we get to see Legolas's reaction to Tauriel and Revion! Will he be his father's son and hate them? Will he be happy to see his presumed-dead friend? Will he accept them? Remember to follow, favorite and review! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	10. Chapter 10

"Tauriel!" Legolas said excitedly.

"Hello Legolas." Tauriel said calmly, though she was quaking with fear on the inside.

"You're alive!" Legolas said.

"Yes, quite obviously." Tauriel said with a smile.

"No one knew where you were after the feast, we all feared you had been left outside weaponless." Legolas said. This was it. Tauriel had to explain why she had left, explain the child, explain her and Kili. She had prepared a small speech, but had now forgotten it.

"I left." Tauriel said.

"Why?" Legolas asked.

"I couldn't stay here any more. The wanderlust." Tauriel attempted to explain, but Legolas would know if she was lying, which he did.

"Walk with me." Legolas said. As to why Tauriel had left, if she was lying about it, she must not want to discuss it in relative public. The walked in silence to an old tunnel that had long since been disused, but was a favorite hiding place when they were elflings.

"Now, really, why did you leave?" Legolas asked.

"I...I was in love. The dwarf, Kili. Do you remember him?" Tauriel said.

"Yes, I believe I do. A tall dwarf, a brown haired archer." Legolas recalled.

"I was in love with him. He loved me. In Laketown, after I saved his life, we started talking, and I realized that I loved him. He had already professed his feelings toward me in a feverish dream, and once I revealed mine, we had the marriage ceremony. We saw no reason to wait, especially with a battle on the horizon. The ceremony was simple, just the two of us according to Dwarven customs. After the ceremony, well, I'll leave that part to the imagination. We both fought in the battle, but I got separated from him. You know that we left the battlefield after a day. I didn't know whether Kili was dead or alive. It had been months, and no word from him. He had promised to write to me. I left, and went to the Mountain to seek news of him. They told me that he was dead. I knew that by then the gates would be sealed once more, and it would be death to go back alone. Instead, I went to Gwain, the village that was destroyed. I stayed there until the orcs attacked. I helped to fight them, then lead the survivors of the attack here." Tauriel explained. This was her story, why she had left, where she had gone, and who she had loved. No matter what others said, this was the truth.

"You were in love with a dwarf." Leoglas's tone was full of disbelief.

"Yes." Tauriel said.

"You married one of _them_!" Legolas exclaimed. Tauriel hoped Revion would be quiet for once. Based on Legolas's reaction simply to her marriage, bringing up the topic of Revion would result in disaster. There was no such luck. Revion started to cry. Tauriel jiggled him in her arms, hoping that he would calm down.

"Who is that?" Legolas asked.

"This is Revion, my son." Tauriel said, preparing herself for the worst.

"What do you mean, son!" Legolas scoffed. "You've only been gone for nine months, you couldn't have had him since then! Unless..." His face showed his shock. "You were pregnant when you left, weren't you!"

"Yes, I was." Tauriel said.

"You...you..._mated_ with a dwarf!" Legolas cried, shocked. "You had his child!"

"Yes, I did. Revion is Kili's son." Tauriel said, her voice still calm. This could have gone better, but it was not too terrible.

"You..._you_!" Legolas said furiously. He couldn't believe that his best friend would have a dwarf's child. He would have to tell his father that Tauriel was back, and had a child. He didn't care what Thranduil's reaction was. Legolas was mad at Tauriel, for leaving, for loving a dwarf, someone other them him. He had had a crush on her centuries. It wasn't fair that she should love someone else, not when he wanted to be with her. Not fair at all.

"My father will hear about this." Legolas said, his voice icy as he turned on his heel and left. Tauriel stood alone, holding Revion. So, Legolas was not as good a friend as she had thought. He would tell Thranduil, and she might be exiled, or killed, or imprisoned. Tauriel was scared to go before Thranduil. He would not be kind to her. Tauriel mused on her options as she walked back to her room. She could run into the forest, or she could stay here. In the forest, she would face unknown dangers, but in the Hall, the dangers were clear. Tauriel couldn't stay here, but she had too. Running away would only cause more problems in the future.

Thranduil did indeed hear about Tauriel, and was less then pleased. He was not happy that Tauriel had run away, even less so that she had gone to the Mountain, and horrified that she had married a dwarf and had its' child. He was upset that all of those events had happened without his knowledge. After all, he was the king, and supreme ruler of Mirkwood. He should know these things, but a lowly Sylvian Elf had managed to marry, leave Mirkwood, and have a child all without him finding out. He was most displeased.

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Hello again! So, Legolas is not happy that Tauriel and Kili were together...next chapter, we see more of Thranduil's reaction! By the way, there's a Harry Potter reference in this chapter, see if you can spot it! Remember to follow, favorite and review! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	11. Chapter 11

A guard knocked at Tauriel's door. She yawned, then got up to answer it. Revion had not slept much the previous night, and instead had cried all night long. It was almost as though he realized how much danger they both were in. Tauriel had not slept much either.

"Yes?" Tauriel asked.

"King Thranduil requires you to come to his throne room immediately. He wants you to bring the child." the guard said. "I am to ensure that you come." Tauriel froze. Thranduil, summoning not only her but also Revion. This did not bode well.

"Very well. Give me a few minutes to make myself and Revion presentable." Tauriel said, then closed the door. She brushed her hair, rebraided it, and brushed her tunic off as best she could. She then picked up Revionand wrapped him in his blanket. She steeled herself for whatever may come from Thranduil. Exile, prison, death, there were too many options. She hoped she appeared calm despite her nerves when she opened the door. The guard led her to the throne room, as though she did not know the way. The grand doors opened. Thranduil was sitting in his throne, Legolas standing near him. Thranduil waved a hand to dismiss the guard to the back of the room.

"Tauriel." Thranduil said

"My lord." Tauriel said, bowing.

"You have committed heinous crimes." Thranduil said.

"Of what? Of love?" Tauriel said. She immediately cursed herself for saying it. She was already in trouble, why did she make it worse!

"Yes. You have married a _dwarf_ and produced a half breed child from it." Thranduil said, his disgust evident in his voice. Tauriel was shocked. She had not expected insults. True, the child was between two races, but such cruel words were not necessary.

"You have polluted the bloodline of the Eldar. I should have known that a lowly Sylvian Elf would have embarrassed our race. I should have never trusted you with such an important position. You ran away in cowardice when your people needed your skill the most." Thranduil continued. Tauriel was insulted and hurt. She knew that Legolas was angry at her, but she hoped to have someone on her side.

"I apologize, my lord." Tauriel said. Thranduil dismissed her apology. Mere apologies were not enough to sway his wrath.

"Apologies are not enough." Thranduil said. "Take the child." Thranduil commanded. Legolas stepped towards Tauriel, who gripped Revion closer. Legolas grabbed Revion form Tauriel's arms. Revion immediately started to cry, and his blanket fluttered to the floor. Tauriel screamed, "No, no, don't take him!" but her pleas were not enough to stop Legolas from taking Revion. She ran towards him, but a guard caught her and held her back, gripping her arms behind her back.

"Give me the child." Thranduil said with a voice like ice. Legolas handed over the crying baby to Thranduil, who gripped him with disgust on his face. Revion looked at Thranduil curiously, and reached out to try and pull Thranduil's hair. Tauriel was mortified. Thranduil was very vain, and even Legolas would be punished if he toughed his father's hair. Thranduil slapped Revion's hand away, causing a cry of pain to emerge from the child as he continued to wail. Tauriel tried to break free of the guard's grip on her arms but she struggled to no avail.

"It is a disrespectful creature. It should have been killed at birth." Thranduil said. "You dare to call this a child? It is a half breed abomination that should never had existed." Tauriel's face showed her offense, though she said nothing.

"And you, Tauriel." Thranduil paused. "I do hope you at least made an attempt to cleanse yourself of the dwarf filth. I should have never taken you in after your parents died had I known you were going to produce an atrocity like this. I should have let you die." Tauriel flinched at these words. "You betrayed my trust, Tauriel. I thought that you would be a loyal, trustworthy, brave subject, one who was proud to serve your king. But you were not. Instead, you were a disloyal _coward_ who ran away after a battle, for the sake of the enemy. You should never have joined the Guard. I put too much faith in you, Tauriel. You betrayed me, you worthless, dishonorable, disgusting, coward." Thranduil said.

Tauriel was incredibly offended and hurt by Thranduil's words. He was essentially teling her to die, that she was worthless. That she should never have joined the organization that had become the most imprtant thing in her life. He was telling her that Revion should never have been born, that she should never have been with Kili. Tauriel wanted to cry, but she held her emotions in. Breaking down would not help Revion, or herself. Thranduil still had her son, and her arms were still being held behind her back. She could not escape the guard's grip, no matter how much she struggled. The audience with Thranduil would be over when he said it was, and not a moment sooner

Thranduil now held Revion at arms length. He gripped Revion's ribcage and drew his blade. "Should I kill the abomination now or later?"

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Dun dun dun... We'll find out next chapter what Revion and Tauriel's fates are. Yes, Thranduil was rather OOC, but it made for good drama. Don't kill me. I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has read this, last night we passed 3,000 views! Ya'll's are awesome! Remember to review, follow and favorite! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	12. Chapter 12

"Should I kill the abomination now or later? What do you think Legolas?" Thranduil said icily. Tauriel's pleading eyes sought out Legolas's blue eyes but he would not look at her.

"We should wait until tomorrow, at dusk. We can kill them both, and make a show out of it. A warning, to others." Legolas said.

"Very well. Should we let them roam free, or imprison them?" Thranduil asked, again addressing Legolas.

"Let them roam. We should give them one last taste of freedom before they die." Legolas said. His voice showed that he was completely disinterested in the current proceedings.

"It is on your head if they escape." Thranduil threatened.

"I accept this." Legolas said.

"Give her back the half breed." Thranduil commanded, and handed back Revion to Legolas. The guard released Tauriel's wrists. Tauriel rubbed the red marks, but held Revion close once Legolas gave him back to her. Legolas seemed to be fascinated by Revion. Revion was probably the first baby that Legolas had seen in centuries. Tauriel bent to pick up the blanket, and wrapped Revion in it, then held him close to her chest. She had been so scared that he would have been killed, and her body was filled with relief.

"You are dismissed." Thranduil said. Tauriel turned her back and walked out of the room.

Tauriel reached her room before she let the tears flow. Dusk tomorrow. She had little more then a day to live. She was going to die, and Revion with her. She was saddened for Revion. He was two and a half months old, and he was going to be killed, unless she could escape. But she couldn't escape. Thranduil might harm Legolas. Though he was mad at Tauriel, he was still like a brother to her. She had no options. She was trapped. She couldn't leave, but she couldn't stay. Either would result in death. Suddenly, she remembered something. The dwarves that she had seen had Kili's crest on their clothes. Maybe they would help her, on behalf of Revion. Maybe they could help her find a way out of this trap she was in.

Tauriel immediately pocketed Kili's runestone, and put her marriage beads and braids in. There were many elves who would know the significance of the braids, but she did not care. After all, she only had less then a day to live. Tauriel took Revion and wandered around the Hall. She didn't know where to find the dwarves, but after a few hours, she ran into one of them, and questioned him.

"Where are your kinsmen staying?" Tauriel asked.

"In the southern quarter of the halls." he said, looking curiously at her.

"Thank you." she said, then quickly walked to the southern portion of the cave system.

Tauriel remembered this portion of the caverns well. It was where important dignitaries and guests stayed. She had had to inspect and guard this area more times then she cared to remember. Their leader, who might be the most likely to help her, would be in the grandest room. Tauriel walked to the room, and cautiously knocked on the door, not expecting what would happen or knowing who would answer her knock and her plea.

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New chapter! Sorry for the berevity, it's really just a filler chapter to set us up for the next chapter, which will be the last one. Again, Thranduil was really OOC here, but it was necessary for the plot, so don't kill me. Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	13. Chapter 13

"Hello?" a dwarf answered. From what Kili had told her, the dwarfs' braids indicated that she was from a powerful family and she had two sons.

"Hello. I am Tauriel." Tauriel said.

"I am Dis." the dwarf said. Tauriel remembered hearing about someone called Dis who was important to Kili. His mother.

"Were you Kili's mother?" Tauriel asked, just to make sure that she remembered correctly.

"Yes, I was both Kili and Fili's mother." Dis said, her voice displaying her still fresh grief.

"I knew Kili. We were friends...more then friends." Tauriel said, unsure as to how the dwarf would react. Dis's eyes found Tauriel's marriage beads and braids, and gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth.

"Y-you were Kili's wife?" Dis said in disbelief.

"Yes." Tauriel confirmed.

"Please, come in." Dis said, opening the door further to let Tauriel come in. The two sat in armchairs.

"When did you two meet?" Dis asked.

"Um." Tauriel blushed. "I saved him from a spider. He asked me for a blade, but I refused, and killed the spider for him. When I put him in a cell, he flirted with me, and it just snowballed from there. We spent the whole night of **feast of starlight** talking. Later on, when the Company escaped from the cells, I followed them to Laketown and saved his life once more. He told me that he loved me while in a fever dream, and I realized that I loved him. We married the next day, and, well, you know."

"Yes, I know." Dis smiled. She was beginning to like this Tauriel, though she had only known her for a few minutes.

"After the Battle of Five Armies, the Elven healers stabilized our wounded and left in a day. The gates were sealed, except for messengers. I thought that Kili would write to me, for five months I waited with no word. The gates were still sealed at the time, but there was a feast that had always been held outdoors. I left that night. I went to the Mountain, and asked for news of Kili. They told me that he was dead. I could barely believe it. It was like my whole world had been destroyed. I did not return to the Hall. Instead, I went to Gwain, an outlying village. I had Revion there." Tauriel said

"You mean...the baby you are holding is my grandchild?" Dis asked, with wonder and disbelief in her voice.

"Yes, he is." Tauriel said. "Would you like to hold him?"

"Yes, oh, yes! I thought all opportunity to hold a little one had been taken from me after Kili and Fili died." Dis exclaimed as Tauriel passed Revion to her. Tauriel continued with her tale.

"The orcs attacked Gwain. I helped to lead the survivors here, to the halls. Now, before I had left, I was the Captain of the Guard. I left my position for the safety of Revion. Now, both of our safety is threatened."

"What do you mean?" Dis asked.

"Thranduil is sometimes a cruel king. He is going to kill myself and Revion tomorrow." Tauriel said sadly.

"Oh! You don't mean...he would put such a little one to death! For what crime?" Dis asked, her voice worried and shocked though she was smiling down at Revion who was looking up at her curiously and trying to pull her beard.

"For merely existing. He said that Revion contaminated the bloodlines of the Eldar and was an abomination. He is going to kill me as well, for falling in love with Kili and having his child." Tauriel said.

"That's horrible! What can you do?" Dis asked.

"Nothing. Thranduil's word is law, and if there is a death sentence on my head then it shall be carried out. In truth, I came to you to see if you might take us to the Mountain, out of Thranduil's reach." Tauriel said.

"Of course!" Dis cried. She had experienced the pain of losing a child, and had it doubled, she would not wish that fate upon anyone, not even Thranduil. "We can leave tomorrow morning, I will tell the servants to start preparing."

"I am forever in your debt. Both of us are." Tauriel said.

"It is no debt. You saved Kili twice, it is no trouble to return the favor." Dis said. Tauriel slept in Dis's room that night, in case guards came to seize her and Revion in the morning. Before dawn, Tauriel and Revion were hidden by blankets in a wagon. Dis had provided a sleeping drought for Revion. If he cried and their wagon was searched, the entire plan would be foiled. Thranduil was surprised at the sudden departure of the dwarves, but said nothing other then to wish them a safe journey.

Two days passed before the Dwarves reached the edge of Mirkwood. Finally, Tauriel and Revion were let out of the wagon. They had been kept there the entire time in case they were being followed. Now that Tauriel and Revion were out of Mirkwood, they were safe from execution, but could never return to the forest. Tauriel was sad about that, but was simply glad that both she and Revion had made it out of the forest alive. Tauriel got a funny feeling when she entered the mountain. The mountain felt like home, strangely. It had none of the trees or stars, but there was a feeling like someone was waiting for her. She didn't know why it felt like there was some sort of connection, drawing her into the mountain. Like there was someone who cared about her, loved her still. It was beyond strange. Tauriel was in an unfamiliar mountain full of dwarves that she didn't know, and yet, she felt like she belonged. It was only a matter of time before she found what that connection was leading to.

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Hi! So I didn't particularly like the ending of this story, which I had already written and thought that this would be the last chapter of. Good news! This chapter isn't the last one! Last night, an idea that had been floating around in my head had babies, and I now have a really good idea for a different ending of this fic. One problem: I haven't written it yet. I'll be working on the new ending over the next few weeks, but because of exams, I'm not going to have a lot of time to write or post. I _will_ post the new ending chapters (the ending is going to be a lot longer now) when I have them up. i just can't say when that will be. Feel free to PM me if you want spoilers as to the ending and/or as to whether or not Tauriel and Revion die. I'll be happy to rant about my new plans. Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	14. Chapter 14

"My lady Dis." Dain said, bowing, as he welcomed Dis into the mountain. "It is lovely to see you again. And you are.." he said, letting his voice trail off into a question as he looked at Tauriel and Revion.

"This is Tauriel and Revion, her son. They are friends of mine and _will_ be welcome in the mountain." Dis said, her voice leaving no room for questions as to who Tauriel and Revion were, and why a Dwarf was friends with an Elf.

"Very well." Dain said. "See to it that rooms are made ready for the Elf." A servant quickly nodded and scampered away to fulfill his king's wishes.

"Thank you." Tauriel said.

"It is of no importance. Who is the child?" Dais asked.

"This is Revion, my son." Tauriel said.

"Who is his father?" Dain asked.

"His father fell in battle." Tauriel said. Her grief was still evident in her voice, and Dain decided not to peruse that line of questioning.

"I grieve with you. Many warriors were lost that day, of both my kind and yours." Dain said.

"Indeed. I fought there." Tauriel said.

"As did I." Dain said. "Your archers were quite skilled in the battle."

"Thank you." Tauriel said, smiling slightly. "I was captain of the guard. I trained them."

"Interesting. Your archers made quite a dent in those foul creatures before they even reached us. Shame most of our archers perished in the battle. We could use a few more, if you'd be willing to train them. I don't know much about archery, and neither do any of my men. The only really good archer among us fell in the Battle. Kili, his name was. He was a good lad. Died too soon." Dain said. Tauriel stopped herself from making a noise when Dain mentioned Kili. Though he had died over a year ago, to Elves, a year is like a day, and she grieved for him still.

"Oh." Tauriel said, trying to seem interested in training other archers. "It would be an honor to help train your army."

"I'll assign a squadron to train under you. Let me know when you are ready, and I will send them to you." Dain said. He did not particularly trust Tauriel, for she was an Elf. But the fact remained that Elven archers had taken out many enemies at the battle. Dain wanted that power for himself. He also thought that Tauriel could be a spy for him in the court of Mirkwod. He would need allies there, especially when it came to trade. Besides, though it made him uncomfortable to have an Elf in the Mountain, it made the other dwarves uncomfortable. He could use that to his advantage, and try to change the dynamic of the Mountain. The other Dwarves would have to trust Elves sooner or later, and the sooner, the better. Also, the Elf would have to rely on him for protection if any of the Dwarves did something like try to attack her or that child of hers. Not that he would be sending assassins after her himself, once she had outgrown her usefulness. Not at all.

"I will look forward to it." Tauriel said with a smile. She did not entirely trust Dain. Coming in after the battle to claim a throne that he had not been brave enough to go on a quest to get seemed suspicious to her. Cowardly even.

"Excellent. Argon, show the lady Dis and Tauriel to the rooms I had prepared." Dain said, sumoning a servant.

"If you would follow me." Argon said, bowing to the women.

The rooms were rather large in Tauriel's opinion. Indeed, it was near the same size of her house in Gwain, though underground. There were two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living space in Tauriel's rooms. Dis's rooms were unfortunately not located near Tauriel's rooms. Dis was living in the Royal Quarter, or the part of the mountain reserved for royalty and dignitaries. Tauriel wished that their rooms would be closer together. Dis was her last reminder of Kili, and the happy times that she had had with him.

A few hours after arriving in her rooms, Tauriel was officially bored. She had already put Revion down for a nap, sharpened her daggers and arrows, and now had nothing to do. Boredom was a strange sensation to Tauriel. As captain of the Guard, she had always had something to do, whether it was training new recruits or paperwork. Now, however, she was not busy in the slightest, and it irritated her. She hated feeling useless. Then again, she was going to train a squadron of Dwarves to become archers. That would be quite the task, as she had only seen one Dwarven archer before. Kili. Tauriel had no knowledge of how Dwarves used bows. She did know a little about how Dwarven bows were designed, thanks to a long conversation with Kili during **feast of starlight**. Did the Dwarves even have bows in their armory? The thought crossed her mind. As far as Tauriel knew, bows were unconventional weapons among Dwarves. She fervently hoped that the armory had some. Tauriel had never quite had the patience to make her own bow, though some of the members of the Guard did. She got frustrated all too easily during the few times that she had attempted to make her own bow, and it did not end well for either party. Tauriel ended up with numerous splinters and small cuts, while the failed bow would get used as firewood.

Bows were definitely something to consider, but right now, dinner was a more pressing matter. Dain had invited Dis and Tauriel to dine with him that night to welcome them to the Mountain in a few hours. Part of Tauriel wondered why there would not be a feast. After all, when relatives of heroes returned, they were usually honored with a feast, though perhaps that was not the custom in Erebor as it was in Mirkwood. Tauriel was apprehensive about the meal. She knew her usual tunic would not suffice for an occasion such as this. That was not to mention the matter of Revion. Tauriel could not hold him during the entire meal, and even if he was asleep, it would still make the atmosphere rather awkward. Also, Tauriel didn't want to leave Revion with strangers, even if it was only for a few hours. She had almost lost him twice, and he was only two months old! Tauriel resolved to go to Dis. Perhaps Dis would have a dress that could be quickly altered to fit Tauriel. If she could get to Dis's rooms without getting lost.

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Hi! I should be studying for finals right now, so I'm going to cut the AN short and just say that this is going to be the last chapter for a while because of said finals. Remember to follow, favorite, and review! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


	15. Chapter 15

Hi! Quick update on the posting for this story and all others. This story and all of my other ones are going to be on a temporary hiatus for the summer. I won't have much time to write, but updates will be coming in the fall. Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!


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